Songs of a Sombre Heart
by XxFearTheFluffxX
Summary: She was alone. Abandoned. Just like the song. Everyone she'd ever needed had left her... and that's the way it had to be. They'd never forgive her... Kaoru... would never forgive her... KaoruxOC Slight HikaruxOC


**It feels like I haven't written in ages... Which is probably true but hey. There are little bits of songs in this one and if you haven't heard them I strongly suggest you search for them cuz they is good! Here they are in order:**

**My World – Sick Puppies**

**Gomenasai – T.A.T.U.**

**Falling in the Black – Skillet**

**Miserable at Best – Mayday Parade**

**Killing Loneliness – H.I.M.**

**It's Over – The Goo Goo Dolls**

**The Last Night – Skillet**

**Obviously nothing but the plot belongs to me... Oh and my OC's, Rikku and Amiko!**

_Welcome to my world_

_Where everyone I ever need_

_Always ends up leaving me alone_

_Another lesson learned_

_And I'm drowning in the ashes_

_Kicking_

_Screaming_

The mournful words of the truest song Amiko had ever heard, rang in her head as clearly as if they were playing through her iPod this very second. They weren't of course; where she was going she'd have no need for such trinkets, so she'd left it at her Cousin's house. Along with her hope; along with her faith; along with everything she'd ever believed in up till this point. All she had left were the clothes on her back and a sorrow that was sharper than a butcher's knife and doing pretty much the same job as one. That's all she needed anymore; at least that's what she kept telling herself. Because like the song, everyone she'd ever needed had left her all alone.

The rain was heavy this evening; it'd been pouring non-stop for hours, great big drops that pelted her with enough force to sting, though she'd been unable to _feel_ for the better part of an hour. She was numb with cold and drenched right to the skin, her usually fair complexion an alarming white. Her blonde hair was limp and saturated with water, hanging well past her shoulders now that it wasn't tied back in it's customary bun. Her bangs covered her eyes when her head was bowed and so that's how she sat. Not that it mattered anymore, but she didn't want people to see the suffering in her sky blue eyes. Just in case they asked unnecessary questions... Besides the buildings that surrounded her were making her feel dizzy today.

The city centre had always held a deep rooted fascination for Amiko. It was full of people, all with their own faces, their own names, their own lives and she was awed by each and every one of them. What made them tick? What did they think about? So many varieties of people... it was hard to believe that in a place with such diversity, Amiko didn't belong. She didn't belong anywhere it seemed; her Father had been right. She'd tried being herself, but that didn't work. She'd tried being someone else, that didn't work either. So now she'd take the only option left; she would be no one. In the distance a clock bell went off, chiming out the time and marking the passage of another hour. One left... they'd be here soon. Then the pain, the tears, everything... it would all end, once and for all.

Amiko wondered how it would happen. How would she feel? What would she be thinking? Would she regret it? She laughed harshly under her breath. Regret it? It was unlikely. It would certainly hurt a lot less than living; nothing could equal the agony that tormented her now. There would be only one thing she'd regret: not telling _him_ how she felt. Almost as if the thought of him were some sort of signal, a tear slid down her cheek. She brushed it away with the sleeve of her green jacket, before clenching her hands into fists on her denim clad thighs as a wave of misery hit her like a two tonne bag of bricks. She had to stop this. Thinking about him made it worse. She had to distract herself – she didn't want her last moments on God's green Earth to be spent moping.

Hopping from the wall, Amiko brushed herself down. Her jeans were more or less plastered to her legs and her brown boots were filled to the brim with rain water but she was determined to go for a walk, to occupy her troubled mind. Besides it would be nice to have one last look around; say goodbye to all the things she would miss. Going in no direction in particular, Amiko left the bridge, knowing that the next time she saw it would be her last.

/\

_Gomenasai_

_For everything_

_Gomenasai_

_I know I let you down_

_Gomenasai 'till the end_

_I never needed a friend_

_Like I do now_

Rikku stared at Amiko's letter, trying but unable to absorb the words on the page. How could this be happening? What was she _thinking_? She put the offending paper down on her dressing table and ran a hand through her hair, before staring at herself in the mirror that was fixed to the table.

She glared at her reflection, hating herself entirely. This was _her_ fault. _She'd _done this. Her own red eyes glared back at her, lacking the usual cheeky, fun-loving spark they normally had. It was pure anger and fear that gazed back at her now. Anger at herself for causing such grief; and fear at what could be the result of a stupid mistake. Her collar length blood-red hair brought out the anger in her in a way that made her appear scary, even to herself. The long braid at the back of her head, which normally dangled all the way down her back to swing around her boots, rested over her shoulder, and made a tempting weapon to strangle herself with. Or maybe she could untie the blue ribbon wrapped around it and hang herself with it. It would be no less than she deserved.

Rikku glanced at the letter again and tried to find anything that would mark the testament as a cruel joke. Naturally there was none, not that she'd expected there to be. It was written clearly and concisely; there was no mistaking it's meaning. Anyway, Amiko would never joke about something like this.

The note was short and straight to the point – almost brutal in it's delivery. Every word was like a needle, piercing Rikku's skin and heart until she wanted to scream. This wasn't the answer; this wasn't the way it should be dealt with!

_Dear Rikku,_

_I just want to say goodbye. I'm leaving tonight to meet with my Father... I trust you know what that means. I can't go on like this, living on the edge of a knife all the time and making so many people unhappy as I do. Show everyone this letter when you get a chance and make sure they all know how much I care about them. Each and everyone of them._

_Amiko_

_XXX_

Rikku felt physically sick. She couldn't let this happen. This couldn't be _allowed_ to happen. Amiko could do whatever she wanted to her; she could beat her to a pulp, she could order her to stop going to the Host Club, whatever she wanted, Rikku would do it. But this... this was one thing she would never – could never – do. She refused to stand by and wait for news of her best friend's death to spread, doing nothing to stop it. No! She was going to find Amiko and this time she would _make_ her listen!

Snatching her phone from the left side of the desk, she dialled the necessary number almost without thinking. Just as she was about to hit the 'call' button, Rikku stopped short and considered her actions carefully. What good would calling the police do? Amiko was strong. Almost as strong as her cousin, Hunny-Senpai. There wasn't a police force on Earth that could bring her back if she really didn't want to come back. Sending them after her would be unwise. Rikku needed to send people who meant something to her – people who could reason with her...

Erasing the first number, she entered a different number into her phone. Holding it to her ear, she started tapping her foot impatiently as she waited for someone to answer. C'mon_, c'mon! Time is of the essence. _At last she heard the tell-tale shuffling noise of someone brining the phone to their ear.

"Hello?" a miserable sounding voice asked. Rikku winced. Had _she_ done that? Was it _her_ fault that voice was so filled with hopeless, anguish? How many more lives had she wrecked?

"Kaoru? It's Rikku. Wait! Before you hang up, there's something I need to tell you. I – I need your help..."

/\

_Tonight I'm so alone_

_This sorrow takes a hold_

_Don't leave me, it's so cold_

Amiko trudged through the flooded streets with her eyes glued to her feet. Mostly, it was because she couldn't see with her head up due to the merciless rain battering at her face and eyes. But if she was being honest it was also because, though she had intended to bid all her favourite places a final farewell, she found it impossible to look at them without her heart splintering.

She checked her watch and had to suppress the nausea that punched at her stomach. She had fifteen minutes. A mere fifteen minutes left to her. _Guess it's time to head back..._

Spinning on her heel, Amiko marched back the way she'd come. She'd be late but she knew they would wait. They'd never pass up an opportunity like this. _Never._

_/\_

_But I guess_

_That I can live without you but_

_Without you I'll be miserable at best_

Kaoru looked at the gathered Host Club members and felt enormously grateful to them for agreeing to help. They didn't have much time; if he knew Amiko at all, she'd probably agreed to meet her Father at midnight. She'd always joked about wanting to die dramatically...

He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked round, to see his brother, Hikaru, smiling at him. Kaoru didn't need to ask to know what he was thinking: he was trying to comfort him – to convince him that things would be alright. But how could they be? If Amiko died tonight... Kaoru didn't know what he'd do. She was special to him. It could quite possibly break him if she were to disappear forever.

"Relax, Kaoru. We'll find her. I promise." Hikaru said softly. In a less dire situation, Kaoru might have picked up on Hikaru's uncharacteristic gentleness. But right now all he could think about was the possibility of loosing someone who meant almost as much to him as Hikaru did.

"How can you know that?" Kaoru asked quietly. He wasn't trying to sound pessimistic. He was just looking for something – anything – that was stronger than hope to cling to. He was hanging on the edge of a precipice and if he fell, he didn't know what would happen. But one thing was certain; it wouldn't be pretty.

"Because! I'm the oldest so I just know! Trust me." Hikaru laughed, attempting to infect his brother with his confidence. An appreciative smile graced Kaoru's lips. He'd brought out the big guns! He was using the mere three minutes between their births as a weapon. And Kaoru was glad. It paid to know he wasn't totally alone.

"Listen, guys. Amiko is in the city _somewhere_ and we are going to find her. We'll split into teams of two and go in different directions." Rikku commanded everyone's attention with the authority of one who had a plan. "Hunny-Senpai, Mori-Senpai, you two head for the statue in the park to the East. Tamaki-Senpai, Haruhi, you head North towards the shopping centre. Hikaru, Kyouya-Senpai, you go towards the school in the West. Kaoru and I will go to the bridge in the South."

"Is there a particular reason for your choice of groups?" Hikaru asked, a bit miffed. Rikku smiled as she recognised a hint of jealously in his tone. She quickly kissed his forehead, loving that he felt that way despite the current crisis.

"Yeah, actually. She... sort of had an argument with Kaoru and me before she left. I can't be positive but I _think_ she may have gone to the bridge. It's best if we're both there so we can explain ourselves." Rikku explained softly, stroking the side of Hikaru's face in an attempt to placate him. He turned a bit red and Rikku did too, when she realised what she was doing. Dropping her hand to her side, she shuffled her feet nervously.

Kaoru watched his brother and Rikku quietly but intently. They really liked each other – that much was obvious. It was good for Hikaru to have someone who cared for him as much as Rikku did. As the groups split up Kaoru vowed that if nothing else he would bring Rikku back safely, for Hikaru's sake. Even if it was a lost cause going after Amiko, he wouldn't feel like a _complete_ failure if he was able to secure his brother's happiness.

/\

Amiko stared at the shiny black limo parked on the bridge. It was time. She shuddered as the relentless rain pounded at her courage, making her want to turn around and run as far and as fast as she was capable. Back to Rikku, back to Haruhi, back to the Host Club... back to Kaoru. She shook her head violently – this wasn't the time to be held back her cowardice. She had to remember that _they_ were the reason she was here... she was here to protect them. Even if she did return, after the things she'd said and done to them all this past week, they would never forgive her. She was all alone. Abandoned. And that was the way it had to be.

Taking a deep breath, Amiko made to step out from behind the building she was using to hide herself but stopped abruptly when her eyes were drawn to something. At her feet there was a deep puddle and this in itself wasn't so strange that it would claim her attention. It was what she saw reflected in the puddle that commanded her focus. There, in amongst the ripples made by the hundreds of rain drops, her own face gazed back at her. At least she thought it was her face. Sure enough it had _her _blue eyes, framed as they were with _her_ blonde hair. But she had tear stains on her face and her eyes were red, like she'd been crying for a long time. Amiko couldn't remember when she'd started, but the evidence was clear; she'd been weeping. Apart from the single tear she'd let escape when she thought of Kaoru earlier, Amiko Haninozuka hadn't cried in years.

A self-mocking smile fluttered across her face. _Years of keeping it together and you break down right at the end... so much for dying with grace and composure, huh?_ But for some reason she wasn't all that bothered by it. Because though she knew a large part of her breakdown was the overwhelming sadness that continually ate away at her these days, there was comfort in the knowledge that a tiny portion of her tears were from joy. She was glad she'd met the Host Club; glad she'd been able to spend some time with her cousins, Takashi and Mitsukuni; glad she'd fallen in love with Kaoru, even if he would never know it; but most of all glad that she had the strength to protect them all from herself.

Armed with this knowledge, Amiko stepped out into the open with the most peaceful smile she had worn in the longest time. _Everything's alright,_she thought calmly, watching as two men she knew so well got out of the limo. They both wore formal looking suits, black for one and navy blue for the other. Father and Zuki, her older brother. Her father's hair was greyer than the last time she'd seen him but his icy blue eyes were still harder than granite. Zuki had a fierce look on his face that resembled something close to anticipation. His cropped hair, the same dark shade of blonde as her own, was spiked in all directions and his eyes seemed black from this distance. As warm a reunion as she'd expected. This was not going to be a pleasant experience.

_It'd be worse if I stayed,_ she reminded herself, keeping a steady pace as she approached them. They walked forward with purpose; there would be no prisoners this time. They'd do the job then leave. Which was what Amiko hoped for. If they wiped her out straight away, there was less chance of them meeting her friends. Less chance of anyone else getting hurt.

_If I'm to be reborn, I'd like to be a Cherry Blossom tree, I think. _They were getting closer.

_Yeah... It would be nice to live untroubled like that. _Closer.

_No complex emotions. _Closer.

_Simple and tranquil. No worries. _Closer.

At long last they met and Amiko looked into her Father's eyes, showing him she wasn't afraid. She wasn't going to run. Not this time.

"Zuki." her Father ordered. Zuki nodded and approached his little sister menacingly. Amiko could see the hesitance beneath his malice, andallowed herself a smirk. It brought some comfort to know that Zuki was aware of what would happen if she decided to fight back.

As her brother closed in, Amiko had a horrible heart wrenching image of Kaoru flash through her mind. Followed by what seemed like snapshots of every happy memory she'd had since meeting the Host Club. It almost made her want to fight her way out; but she wouldn't. They deserved better. They didn't deserve to be in harms way all the time just because they were too close to _her_. So she would accept her fate. She would die with honour and afterwards she would continue to watch over them from wherever she ended up. That, at least, she could be satisfied with.

_Memories, sharp as daggers_

_Pierce into the flesh of today_

_Suicide of love took away all that matters_

_And buried the remains in an unmarked grave in your heart_

_/\_

"Kaoru... I'm sorry. I'm _really_ sorry. This is all my fault and I know I've hurt both you and Amiko. I never meant for that to happen." Rikku apologised, unable to cope with the stony silence between them any longer. They'd been searching for ages and so far there'd been no luck. They hadn't made it to the bridge yet and Rikku was sure this was where she'd be, but it was almost midnight. They were running out of time.

At first she thought he wasn't going to answer. But after a few minutes he sighed. "It's not your fault," he said, staring straight ahead as he spoke. "You were upset. If Hikaru wasn't so oblivious it would never have happened."

"So you blame Hikaru then?" Rikku asked softly. That would be worse than if he blamed _her_. She'd been friends with the twins for a while now and she knew what they meant to each other. She couldn't bear it if they were to fall out over something _she'd_ done.

"No. I don't blame anyone. Blaming someone won't change anything."

"Even so, I'm still sorry. The kiss... it didn't mean anything. I was just going to kiss your cheek, to thank you for being there for me, but... I thought of Hikaru and I couldn't stop myself..." she trailed off. Kaoru didn't answer. After some intense thinking, Rikku broke the silence once again. "I really do like your brother, you know. I mean, I know we didn't get along that well at first but there's something about him I can relate to. He can understand the part of me I always try to hide. I think I lo-,"

"That's enough!" Kaoru laughed, covering his ears and making a big show of not listening. "You know what happened the last time you told me this stuff!"

Rikku smiled. That was the Kaoru she knew. The cheeky, carefree Host who knew how to laugh. She punched him playfully on the arm. "You're just jealous 'cause I'm a rock star!" she teased.

"Jealous? Hah! No chance!" he retorted, ruffling her hair. They stopped abruptly as they remembered their mission, and a sombre atmosphere set in once again. Kaoru felt like there was an invisible hand squeezing his heart – trying to burst it. He'd felt the same way when he and Hikaru had fallen out that time, over Haruhi. As if the world was going to cave in at any second.

Suddenly Rikku gasped and pointed. "Kaoru, look!"

Kaoru followed Rikku's gaze and his heart hit the floor. They were little over a hundred yards from the bridge, but even from this distance it was unmistakable. Lying in a crumpled heap near the far wall was Amiko's limp form. They were too late.

"AMIKO!" Rikku screamed, rushing towards her. Kaoru just stood there frozen.

_We're too late. She's gone. It's over. _Those words kept echoing through his head with all the finality of a curtain falling; the show was over. Over before it had even begun. He fell to his knees in the flooded street watching detachedly as Rikku tried and failed to wake Amiko up. _It's over..._

_But it's over to you_

_And I can't find the answers when you're gone_

_But it's over to you_

_And you can't find the answer where you are_

_/\_

Blackness. Thick and complete. It wasn't like turning off all the lights; this darkness had no depth, no texture. There was simply nothing. No pain, no sadness... nothing. How long had it been this way? Days? Weeks? Years? _Eternities?_ Did it even matter?

"_Come back, Amiko..."_

That sound.... it was quiet but it echoed all around, like multiple people were saying it at the same time. Amiko? Who was that? It was a familiar name... vaguely... but what did it matter?

"_Amiko, wake up..."_

Amiko... Oh yeah. That was _her_ name. Amiko. Was she asleep? If so, _how_ did she wake up?

"_If you can hear me, Amiko, don't go. Please, don't leave..."_

Leave? Why? Where was she going?

"_We need you. Don't die. Hold on..."_

Die? _Who_ needed her? That voice... _it_ was familiar too. The sound of it made her feel... warm. Happy...

It was... It was...

It was Kaoru. Kaoru Hitachiin's voice... Who was he though?

An image flashed in the black; it was like a cinema but she was the only one there. And it wasn't just in one place. It was everywhere. All around, like a blanket of pictures.

A small boy with blonde hair and brown eyes waved cheerfully at her, hugging a pink stuffed bunny. Beside him, a taller boy with messy black hair and dark eyes nodded, smiling slightly but maintaining a stoic disposition.

"Cousin Mitsukuni, you're really cute for a third year." The words cracked like thunder in the emptiness. It was _her_ voice. Her _own _voice.

"Lighten up, Cousin Takashi!"

Her cousins... Takashi Morinozuka and Mitsukuni Haninozuka.

The image changed. Two tall boys flanked a girl with big brown eyes and short brown hair. She was dressed like a boy, but for some reason Amiko knew she wasn't. The boy on the left had blonde hair and blue eyes whilst the one on the right had black hair and wore glasses. All three smiled at her.

"Wow... So you're a girl, Haruhi?"

"You're such a pervert, Tamaki-Senpai!"

"You've got a real mean streak, you know that, Kyouya-Senpai?"

Her friends... Members of the Host Club... Haruhi Fujioka, Tamaki Suou and Kyouya Otori.

Again the picture changed. This time a girl and a boy. The girl had crimson hair that reached her collar and matching eyes. At her back a long braid wrapped in blue ribbon swung around her feet. Her companion had orange hair and gorgeous honey coloured eyes. They grinned and waved.

"Rikku, your new album comes out soon, right?"

"I dare you, Hikaru! One more word and I'll knock your lights out!"

More friends... and another club member... Rikku Sukoi and Hikaru Hitachiin. Hitachiin?

The apparition of Hikaru and Rikku fizzled out to be replaced by a picture of another boy who looked exactly like Hikaru. Except he was different... there was a warm, sickening feeling in the pit her stomach when she looked at him. She was able to feel and hear a pounding that she was certain was her heartbeat. It hurt to look at him.

"I... I love you, Kaoru!"

Kaoru Hitachiin. The boy she was in love with. The one who was speaking to her.

The pain intensified and with it the darkness receded, turning to a white so intense it burned. Slowly, she became aware of blurred shapes moving about and as they cleared she started to remember everything. Her whole body was in agony! It took everything she had not to scream.

"Look! She's waking up!"

"Yeah, you're right! Amiko? Amiko?"

"K-Kaoru... I..." her voice was scratchy and hoarse with misuse. Even so she forced herself to continue. "Kaoru, I love you."

/\

Amiko couldn't believe it. She was alive! Seriously injured but alive nonetheless. Apparently Rikku and Kaoru had found her just in the nick of time. What that meant exactly wasn't clear; did her Father and brother make a mistake? Had they left her alive on purpose? Or was she just exceptionally lucky? Whatever the case, Amiko found that she didn't care. She was too tired from the constant supply of morphine to worry about very much. And all the worrying she _did_ at present was strictly reserved for Kaoru.

Everyone in the Host Club were visiting on a regular basis which helped ease her boredom somewhat. Of course, hospital rules stated that each patient was allowed a maximum of 3 visitors at a time so they'd organised a schedule. Rikku and Hikaru visited right after school for a few hours, then they left and Tamaki, Kyouya and Haruhi came for an hour or so when the Host Club was done for the day. Later in the evening, Mitsukuni and Takashi came in and sat with her for a while. And the whole time, Kaoru sat in silence, watching as the others came and left. He arrived with Rikku and Hikaru after school hours and didn't leave until Mitsukuni and Takashi left late at night. He didn't speak to her and, fearing his reaction she didn't try to speak to him.

However after weeks of silence, Amiko was starting to fret. Why didn't he talk to her? Was the song right? Had the person she needed more than anyone else in the world left her alone? She wouldn't blame him. He'd suffered greatly at her hands. Maybe he'd never forgive her; it served her right if that were the case. But she needed closure. They couldn't go on balancing on egg shells for the rest of their lives. So she vowed that when the opportunity arose, she would confront him and find out where she stood once and for all.

As it turned out it would be Kaoru who cracked first...

Only he and Rikku were in that day. Tamaki had been going nuts about Hikaru missing the Host Club so often and thus he'd given in and returned to the club for a change. Rikku was in the chair to the left of Amiko'd bed, reading a magazine, and Kaoru was sitting in his usual chair on the left. She'd been in a lot of pain that morning so the Doctors had given her more morphine than was typical and as such staying awake was proving to be difficult. Everything was quiet until suddenly:

"Why did you do it Amiko?" Kaoru demanded, a look of angry frustration mangling his usually kind features. Amiko was startled; she tried to face him and ask what he meant but could only manage a sleepy glance and a confused grunt.

"Kaoru." Rikku warned, putting her magazine to the side. "You promised you wouldn't do this. Look at her; she's too weak to explain anything now. Leave it until-,"

"Until what?" Kaoru cut in harshly. "Until she's well enough to try it again?" Amiko flinched at the fury in his voice. Did he really think she'd do that? Then again, he probably hadn't thought she'd do it in the first place. Worse than his rage was the hurt she could sense buried beneath it. It stung to think he was in such pain.

"That's enough, Kaoru! Calm down!" Rikku commanded, her eyes hard. Kaoru shot up and glared at her, his hands fists at his sides.

"Why should I?" he spat. Before Rikku could reply, Amiko reached out and feebly clung to his right hand. She forced her eyes open and stared at him, trying to convey her regret. Rikku said nothing, watching as Amiko struggled to sit up for a second before reaching forward and helping prop her up on the pillows. She coughed and scrunched her face up in pain, but refused to stop till she was upright. When she was, she took a hold of Kaoru's hand properly and stroked the back of it gently.

"I... I'm sorry.." she croaked. It was like trying to talk when your mouth was full of cotton wool, but Amiko _needed_ him to know – to understand. "I... was trying... to protect... you all..." As she forced each word out she saw the anger dissolve into grief, tears forming in his eyes that she knew he didn't want anyone to see. When he tried to turn away, she placed her hand on his cheek and forced him to look at her.

"They... tried to... get to me... through you... guys. I couldn't... let that happen... again..." she wheezed. "I had... to stop them no... matter what..."

Kaoru realized she must be talking about that day they were all attacked at the park on one of their days off. It was the same day that Rikku had kissed him. Suddenly he grasped why she'd done something so reckless; it hadn't really made sense to him. Amiko didn't strike him as the type of person to commit suicide because of something like a kiss. But if she thought it would safeguard the people she cared about, there was nothing she wouldn't do.

"No you didn't. You would have been safe with us." he argued, his voice gentle. He sat down and held her hand as she stroked the side of his face with her other.

"No... they wouldn't stop... They'd _never_ stop... I couldn't live... with myself if... if..." her voice cracked and she was unable to go on.

"That'll never happen." Kaoru soothed. He hesitated, not knowing if now was the right time or not. But he had to know. "I thought you did this because of what happened between Rikku and me... You told us both you never wanted to see us again..."

A flicker of something crossed Amiko's face, but it was gone so quickly that Kaoru couldn't tell what it was. "I was... upset... when I saw you two... kissing. I'd be lying... if I said otherwise. But... though I said... different... I understood... when you... told me what happened. I'm still... hurt by it... but I love you... both too much... to let it... tear us apart..."

Rikku couldn't look at either of them; she was obviously ashamed of herself, still seeing the entire escapade as _her_ fault. Amiko smiled and reached over to pat her head, each movement making her eyes grow heavier.

"I'm sorry... I said... all those things... to you. But you... wouldn't...have let me go... if I'd told... the truth..." With each word her voice got smaller and smaller. She was about ready to fall into the darkness of a drug induced slumber.

Kaoru decided it was time to let her sleep. But before she drifted off, he wanted to tell her something. Standing and taking her face between his hands he gazed into her eyes, letting her see the absolute conviction in his. "I love you, Amiko. I mean it. And if I have to spend every second of everyday proving it to you, then I will." Leaning down he placed a soft, sweet kiss on her lips, relishing the heat that spread to every fibre of his being. When he broke away from her, somewhat reluctantly, he was pleased to see she was smiling.

"Will you... be here when... I wake up?" she mumbled. He laughed and rubbed her hand, feeling truly happy for the first time in a long time.

"Of course. You'll never be alone again. I'll _always_ be here." She nodded slightly, satisfied with his answer.

"I love you... Kaoru..." she whispered. And those words – three simple words – made his heart soar higher than the tallest mountain. She loved him. Now he had everything he could ever need; he had his twin, he had his friends and he had Amiko. He was complete.

_This is the last night you'll spend alone_

_Look me in the eyes so I know you know_

_I'm everywhere, you want me to be_

_The last night you'll spend alone_

_I'll wrap you in my arms and I won't let go_

_I'm everything you need me to be_

**That's it for my very first Ouran High School Host Club story. I got this idea when I was listening to a bunch of songs and I decided to write it even though it's a bit darker than my usual stuff... However I loathe and detest sad endings so I made it more cheerful at the end. ^_^**

**I absolutely adore the twins; they make me laugh SO much! I'm not really into the whole twincest thing though... it's funny but no one can deny that it's also creepy. I know this story is more about Kaoru than Hikaru, but I don't mean to show favouritism; they're both fab. Kaoru just seemed the better choice for this particular story. Hope you liked it!**

**Review me please! I LOVE constructive comments that could help to improve my writing! Ta!**


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